eBook "One Year in Space 2018-2019"

The year 2018 marked a significant step forward in global spaceflight, highlighted by the maiden flight of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, which demonstrated new heavy-lift and reusable launch capabilities. SpaceX also increased Falcon 9 operations, supporting commercial satellites and ISS resupply missions. China maintained a strong launch cadence with its Long March rockets, expanding the BeiDou navigation system and advancing future exploration efforts, while Russia’s Soyuz continued reliable crewed and uncrewed missions. United Launch Alliance supported critical government and scientific missions with Atlas V and Delta IV, including the launch of NASA’s Parker Solar Probe. Europe’s Ariane 5 and Vega rockets continued serving commercial and institutional markets, while development of Ariane 6 progressed. Emerging providers like Rocket Lab began establishing dedicated small-satellite launch services, reflecting a more competitive and evolving launch landscape.

The year 2019 saw continued growth and diversification in global space launch activity, driven by both commercial and government operators. SpaceX increased the cadence of Falcon 9 missions, supporting commercial payloads, ISS resupply, and the first deployments of the Starlink constellation, while advancing booster reusability. China also maintained a high launch tempo with its Long March rockets, expanding the BeiDou navigation system and supporting a wide range of satellite missions. Meanwhile, Russia’s Soyuz remained a cornerstone for crewed and uncrewed flights to the International Space Station. United Launch Alliance conducted high-priority missions with Atlas V and Delta IV, while Europe’s Ariane 5 continued to serve the commercial satellite market alongside Vega for smaller payloads. Emerging providers such as Rocket Lab expanded dedicated small-satellite launch services with Electron.

This eBook, “One Year in Space 2018-2019”, brings together the mission patches from human spaceflights, satellite deployments, cargo missions, test flights, and deep space launches that took place over the course of the year. These patches, created by space agencies, companies, and mission crews, form a vivid timeline of events, capturing both the symbolism and the spirit of each mission.

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